Yieldable door stop and catch



April 1, 1933. c. GREENE YIELDABLE DOOR STOP AND CATCH 1950 2Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 18

Tunika/l,

@EN f I IN VEN TOR. @ari/'3 @mene BY @ffm/nm ATTORNEY Apr-i? "l 1.,1933. c. GREENE 1,903,669

YIELDABLE DOOR STOP AND CATCH Filed Aug. 18, l1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENT 0R. @P63226 A TT ORNEY yz/ri WQ Wma) 3 u f Q01/ '15 the door near 20this position,

Patented Apr. 11, 1933 CURTIS GREENE, F SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA YIELD-ABLEDOOR STOP AND CATCH'.

Application led August 18, 1930. Serial No. 475,869.

My invention relates to stops and catches for doors, gates, and otherclosure members, and is very eective for automatically stopping garageor barn doors or fence gates which have to be held open `for passage ofvehicles or other purposes. My invention is designed to limit and stopthe opening of doors and the like and to hold the same open in athoroughly safe and reliable way, and

with ther greatest possible convenience, limiting the labor requiredwhen opening the door or gate, to merely swinging it outwardly withenough momentum to carry it over the stop, which Aautomatically stopsand holds the edgeof the roadway or other open position. From thisposition, it may be reached, when it is to be closed, with much greaterconvenience than ifv it were free to swing'outwardly beyond the stop.From the door or gatemay be released to swing in either direction fromthe stop by merely pressinga foot downwardly on the stop while pushingthe door or gate in the direction desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a yieldable,resilientfstop and catch, to prevent injury not only to the variousparts of the stop itself, but also to the closure mem- "ber, which islikely to be severely wrcnched and damaged when striking an unyieldingobstruction at its edge, particularly at or near its upper or loweredge; and also to prevent injury to any person, who in walking about,may strike the stop, and who would be in danger of being tripped by arigid stop, but

not by a light, flexible one.

-` A further object of my invention is to provide an automatic stopwhich will stop and hold a closure member as it passes over o it, andfrom which it maybe readily released, and which will operate with equalefficiency irrespective of the direction in which the closure memberis'movedrrelative to the device. y

A further object of my invention is to provide such a stop which is-very simple and rugged in construction, inexpensive to manufacture,long lived, and proof againstv accidental injury.

v"With the above and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter,my invention further includes the following novel features and detailsof construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, and particularly set forth in the appendedclaims.

lnL the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a garage or barn door and of myyieldable stop and catch installed on the ground at the side of theroadway leading from the doorway, and in eperative relation to the door,but clear of the same; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side'elevational view of mydevice, separate and apart from the door, with the spring in its normal,vertical position; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of thesame taken through 3-3 of Fig. 2 with the supporting member shownfragmentarily; Fig. i is a side elevational view of the same, Awith thedoor or gate (which is shown fragmentarily in cross-section) held in anopen position by the device," and with `the various moving parts shownoutlined in dotted lines in the positions they assume when the door orgate is pushed in the, direction toward the rigidly installed base"portion'of the stop; `and with the same moving parts shown outlined inbrok-en lines in the positions they assume when the door or gate ispushed in the direction away from said base portion; Fig. 5 is a sideelevational view of the device with the catch portion depressed clear ofthe door or gate (shown in cross-section and fragmentarily) to permitthe same freely to move in either direction; Fig. 6 is a sectionalelevational view thereof taken on thevline 6-6 of Fig. Ll; Fig.7 is aside elevational view of a modified form of the stop and catch portionof my invention and with a portion of the supporting spring shownfragm'entarilyv and in section; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of thesame, taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7; 9 is an elevational sectionalview of a modified form of the base portion of my` device, and with thelower portion of the spring shown fragmentarily and in section; and Fig.l0 is a perspective view of a door with my stop mounted horizontally onthe side of a post by means of a modified Vform of the base portion ofthe stop, and in operative relation to the door, but clear of the same;Fig. 11 is a side and part sectional elevation showing a simplified formof my device.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

In the one form of my invention shown in Figs. l to 6 inclusive, themain portion of the device is supported on a galvanized iron pipe lwhich is of suiicient length and diameter to anchor the device securelywhen in'- stalled, by being embedded in the ground, pavement, or otherfoundation, with its upper end iiush with or a short distance above thesurface of the ground or pavement.

This supporting pipe is provided with screw threads in its interior fora short distance from its upper end. Into this threaded hole is secureda plug 2 which may be a metal casting, its lower portion having areduced shank which is externally threaded and screwed into the upperend of the pipe. The upper portion of the member or plug 2 is in theform of the upper half of a horizontal, circular ring or torus. Thecentral hole of the ring or torus extends downwardly through the shank.The outer edge portion of the plug is considerably larger than the pipeand forms a shoulder against which the upper end of the pipe abuts, andmay also form a floor flange.

The aforesaid hole through the plug is provided with screw threads ofthe proper pitch to receive the lower portion of a strong, closecoiled,kinkable steel wire spring 3, the pitch of the threads beingsubstantially equal to `that of the convolutions of the spring. The

spring is locked in the hole by a tapered screw 4 which extends into thelower end of the spring through the hole in the plug. The spring extendsupwardly a short distance above the plug, when in its normal position ofrest. The radius of the semi-circular vertical cross-section of theupper portion of the plug is such that the spring may be distorted orgyrated against it, conforming closely to its surface, without breakingor permanent distortion. Thus the plug supports the spring when it isforced to the side and prevents injury to the spring, which isuniversally deflectable and therefore capable of a gyratory movement.

At the free end of the spring is supported the stop and vcatch means,which consists in part of a bolt 5 of wrought iron, the terminal portionof its head 6 being provided with a threaded shank 5a which is screwedinto the upper end of the spring. The head 6 is in the form of atruncated cone, with its small end or truncatedportion of substantiallythe diameter of the spring against the end of which it is positioned,the portion of the truncated end of the head around the shank forming ashoulder engaging the end of the spring. The large end of the head issquare or normal with its aXis. This bolt is provided with another shankor stem 7 integral and concentric with the head, joinin it at theshoulder last described opposite t ie end of the head from the shank 5a,and extended outwardly in alinement with the spring when in the positionof rest. The shank or stem 7 is of small diameter, and its terminalportion farthest from the head is threaded to receive a nut 8 and a locknut 9. The space between the head and nut is slightly greater than thethickness of the thickest door or gate with which the device is used.The nut 8 is also in the form of a truncated cone of approximately thesize of the bolt head or somewhat larger but tapers or convergesoutwardly; that is, the nut is positioned in opposed relation to thehead. The large end of the nut, being the end nearest the bolt head, isslightly cupped with its outer rim serrated, forming small rounded lugs10 that project toward the bolt head. The lock nut 9 is an ordinary nutof smaller diameter than the smaller end of the nut 8 against which itis screwed on the bolt shank or stem 7. All edges of the bolt and nutsare madeslightly rounded to insure smooth operation of the device.

The head of the bolt and the nut form two opposed stops and catches forreceiving therebetween the edge portion of a closure member or suitablemeans on the closure member, the stops and catches being preferablyrigidly secured together by a connecting portion or stem 7, asdescribed.

The device, as shown, is installed vertically, the pipe being embeddedin the ground or pavement at or near the edge of the roadway leadingfrom the door` or gate 1l, at a distance from the pivotal supports l2,slightly less than the length of the lower edge of t 1e door or gate,and at such an elevation that the top of the plug 2 is a little morethan the diameter of the spring 3 below said lower edge of the door orgate.

On the door, gate or other closure member are provided catch platemeans, which, in this instance, consist of two shields 13 which may bethin pieces of sheet brass twice the width of the widest portion of thebolt 5. They are identical in size and form, and are attached withscrews 14, to opposite sides of the door adjacent to the portion of itslower edge which passes directly over the device when the door is swungoutwardly. These plates or shields extend upwardly from the lower edgeof the door slightly higher than the widest portion of the nut or catch8, when the spring is in its normal, vertical position. These shieldsare substantially right angular in cross-section but the same are bentat an obtuse angle outwardly from the door or gate a short distanceabove the lower edge thereof, and arethen bent inwardly in curves ofvery short radius into the lower horizontal flanges of the shields. Thecorners of these shields form catch portions 15 at the oppositeY cornersof the lower edge .of the door or gate. The lower horizontal ange of oneof the shields lies against the bottom. edge of the dooror gate, whilethe corresponding ortion of the other overlaps the first. The owerhorizontal anges of the shields are gradually warped .to a shallowchannelshaped cross-section; the channel which is inverted, extendstransversely to the edgey of the door or gate and isV adapted to receivetherein the shank or stem 7 of the bolt and to retain the same againstmovement longitudinally with respect to the edge of the door or gate atwhich the shields are located.`

After the shields have been attached to the door or gate, the lock nut 9is loosened and the distance between the adjacent faces of the bolt headand the nut 8 is adjusted so that it is slightly greater than thedistance be- `tween the outer edges of the catchportions 15. The locknut 9 is then tightened, holding the nut or catch 8 securely inposition.

When it is desired to open the door or gate for the passage of avehicle, the door or gate is pushed outwardly, the momentum/causing theupper portion of the device to bend over when struck by the nearestshield, the spring and bolt head or catch 6 sliding relative to thecurved edge of the catch portion 15, and relative to the lower flangeportions ofthe shields, until the shouldered end of the bolt head orcatch 6, at its junction with the shank 7 clears the catch portion 15,on the opposite side of the door or gate from the side first struck,when the bolt head is forced upwardly until the shank or stem 7 restsagainst the lower liange portions of the shields and in the channelthereof, with the said end of the bolt head engaging oneof the catchportions 15, and the larger end of the nut 8 adapted to engage theother. In this positionthe force of the spring keeps the stem or shank 7very nearly along the center of the channel, and this position ismaintained whether the door or gate remains at rest or is pushed againstthe bolt head Vor the nut 8, i. e., against either catch. /Vhen thecatch portion 15, in engagement with the bolt head or catch 5, is forcedhard against the same, it causes the spring to arch or kink upwardly asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, inclining the highest portion of thesaid flat shoulder on the bolt head toward the door or gate, so that itinterlockssecurely with said catch portion 15, and motion of the door inthat direction is limited to that allowed by the iiexibility of thespring in itsv arched position. Vhen the door or gate is forced in theopposite direction and the other catch portion 15 of the shields forcedagainst the ser- 65 rated rim of the concave end of the nut or CII catch8, saidcatch portion of the shield is gripped firmly and the bolt headpulled downV somewhat, causing the highest portion of the said serratedrim on the nut 8 to incline toward the door, or gate, and to lock morefirmly against the catch portion 15 which it engages. The motion of thedoor in that direction is limited to the tension of the spring. The formassumed by the various parts in this position with the spring extendedis outlined in broken lines in Fig. l of the drawings.

From the the door or gate is held by the stop very securely and'at thesame time very flexibly so that no damage can occur to the door or gatethrough wrenching, and that the parts of the device itself are cushionedfrom impact and thus protected from injury or displacement, so that theymay he safely made relatively small, light and inexpensive.

it will be noted that if the lugsrl()r were omitted and the inner sideof the nut 8 were made flat instead of cupped, the nut and the shieldwould still interlock securely when the door or gate is forced openfarther so as' to extend the spring. The function of the serrationsformed by the lugs 10 is simply to afford greater security under extremeconditions, as when the door is forced quickly over the device.

When the door or gate is caught by the stop and catch means, and it isdesired to free the door or gate to swing in either direction, it isgrasped with one hand and a foot of the operator, designated 16, ispressed on the device, either on the nuts projecting beyond the loweredge of the door or gate,

or on the spring projecting at the other side,

foregoing, it will be noted that Y direct-ion as at first, the shieldsclear the stop and catch portions, andthe spring assumes its normalvertical position, so that the door or gate will be caught by the deviceif the door or gate is againswung over it.

A modified form of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 of theaccompanying drawings. n this form all the rparts are identical withthose of the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, andhereinbefore described, excepting that for the holt and nuts of thatform, there are substituted a short bolt 17 a long bar 18, nut 19, acatch member 24 and a screw 23.

rPhe bolt is in the form of a shoulder stud having two diameter threadedshanks at its ends. The large diameter portion is screwed within theupper end of the spring 8; a slot for the use of a screwdriver isprovided at its lower end. The small diameter shank extends above thespring 3 concentric with the lower portion of the stud and with thespring. The bar 18 is of strap or bar steel. At one end is provided ahole, through which extends the small shank or stud, said end of the barbeing secured to the stud and spring by the nut 19. The end of the baris flush with the one side of the spring. At the opposite side of thespring, the bar is bent squarely upwardly, iiush with the outside of thespring, and is then bent sharply inwardly and downwardly to aninclination of about 30 degrees below the horizontal, forming the hookor catch 20. The bar is again bent sharply upwardly iiush with theoutside of the spring to which the iirst mentioned end of the barextends, and continues straight and vertical to its upper end. Abovesaid bend, the bar is provided with a central longitudinal rib 21 at theside at which the catch 2O is located. The upper portion of the bar isprovided with acentral longitudinal slot 22, for receiving the shank ofa countersunk screw 23, the head of which lits into the channel of thebar from which the rib is pressed, as shown in Fig. 8. The catch member24 is in the form of a slide made of strap steel of the same width andthickness as the bar 18, and is of substantially triangular form, withone side straight longitudinally and bent transversely to conformclosely to the ribbed face of the bar. A threaded hole is provided inthe center of said side to receive the screw 23, clamping the slideiirmly against the bar. From the lower end of said side, the slide isbent sharply outwardly forming a second side y which is inclineddownwardly at an angle of about thirty degrees from the horizontal,forming a catch or hook 25. From the end ot the catch, the slide is bentupwardly at an angle beyond the upper end of the bar. The outer end ofthe catch is offset the same or a greater distance from the straight,upper portion of the bar as the hook or catch 20.

The distance between the hooks or catches '20 and 24 must be slightlygreater than the distance between the two catch portions on the shields.If adjustment is needed, it is made by loosening the screw 23 and movingthe slide along the bar to the correct positi on, when it is locked inplace by tightening the screw.

|The operation of the device in this form is identically the same aswith the form first described, excepting that in this form, it will stopthe door or gate only when the same approaches the device from the sideat which the catches are located. For this reason, it is necessary thatthe bar at the outset be given the correct orientation in relation tothe door or gate and that it be preserved.

vA modified form of the base of my invention is illustrated in Fig. 9.This form ofthe baseis suitable for attaching the stop to any floor,wall or post or other stationary support by means or' screws. It differsfrom the form hereinbefore described only in that the pipe is omittedentirely, and that the screw threads are omitted from the exterior ofthe lower portion of the plug 2, said lower portion being enlarged andprovided near the outer edge with holes 26 for securing the iiange tothe floor or other support by screws 27. With this type of base thetapered screw l for locking the spring inthe plug is very short andwithout a head. Either of the forms of the stop and catch meanshereinbefore described may be mounted on this form of base.

In some situations, it is preferable to mount the device horizontallyagainst a wall or post situated just a little beyond the outer or freeedge of the door or gate. In this case, the stop is mounted so that thespring is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the said pivotalsupports, and the shields 13 are attached to said outer edge directlyopposite the spring.

When mounted horizontally, the operation of the stop is exactly similarto its operation when mounted vertically, excepting that the pressurebrought upon the device when releasing it from the closure member isdirected away from the axis of the pivotal supports 12 instead ofdownward.

It will be here noted that, if desired, the portion of the springsecured in the plug 2 or floor Hangs may be slightly tapered and securedin corresponding tapered and internally threaded holes in said members,thus eliminating the set screws or other locking means.

In Fig. 11,1 have shown a simplified form of my device. The coil spring3, in this instance, is reduced at its outer or free end, as indicatedby 3a, and is wound tightly around the shank 28a of a hook member 2S forsecuring the hook to the free end of the spring. This shank may beretained therein by a bent portion 286 at the inner end of the shank.

The end 2SC of the hook 'member forms a catch corresponding to the nut 8in the first described structure. The inner catch, in this instance, isformed by a nut 29, which is screwed on the exterior of reduced portion3a of the coil spring, the threads of the nut conforming with the pitchof the convolutions of the reduced portion of the coil. The inner end ofthe nut is provided with a tapered recess 29a for receiving a taperedportion 3b connecting the reduced portion with the main portion of thespring, said tapered portion of the spring locking the nut in posi tion.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand ar' rangement of parts and portion and various .modificationsthereof, I do not wish to be4 limited to this particular construction,combination and arrangement, nor to the modifications, but desire toinclude in the scope or" my invention the construction, combination andarrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the class described, a support, a coil spring securedat one end thereto and extended with its, opposite end therefrom, afrusto-conical catch having its small end of lsubstantially the diameterof the spring and secured with said end to the free end of the spring, areduced stem secured to and extending outwardly and coaxially from thelarge end of the catch, and a second rusto-conical catch secured withits large diameter end coaxially with and to the extended end of thestem.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a closuremember, of a support having a. central hole therethrough and having itsupper portion rounded outwardly and divergently from said hole, auniversally detiectable coiled spring supported at one end adjacent thepath of a moving closure member which is adapted to be first engaged atits side and then swayed by the closure member as it is directedthereover to one side over the rounded portion relative to its supportedend, and a pair of truncated catch members secured in spaced apartrelation to the free end of the coiled spring engageable with saidclosure member to hold it therebetween.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a closuremember, of a support having a central hole and its upper portionVrounded outwardly and divergently from said hole, said support beingmounted adjacent the path of a closure member when opened, a resilientmember secured with one end in said hole adapted to gyrate and to beswayed to one side over the rounded portion when encountered by the edgeof vsaid closure member in its movement thereacross, and a pair ofcombined stop and catch members secured to the free end of the resilientmember in spaced relation to each other, said pair of members beingadapted to receive an edge portion of said closure member between themwhile said resilient member is in its swayed position. i

4. In a device of the class described, in combination, a closure member,a support having a central hole and having its upper portion roundedoutwardly and divergently from said hole, a coiled spring secured at oneend thereto adapted to be deiected t0- wardl all sides over said roundedportion and extended with its opposite end therefrom, a

frusto-conical catch secured to the free end of the spring, a connectingmember extending outwardly from the catch and a second frusto-conicalcatch provided with serrations secured to the extended end of saidconnecting member in opposed relation to the first catch, said catchesbeing adapted in the deflected position of said spring to receive saidclosure member between them.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a swingingclosure member including a catch plate secured to its edge and providedwith a channel therein extending transversely to the edge of the closuremember; of a support mounted adjacent and in the path of the closuremember when opened, a coil spring secured at one end to said support andextending with its opposite end directed away therefrom, afrusto-conical catch secured to the free end of the spring, a stemsecured coaxially to and extending rom said catch, a secondfrustoconical catch secured to the end of said stem, said catches beingadapted to engage opposite sides of said channelled plate as said springis flexed to a deflected position during the passage of said closuremember thereover.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Diego,California, this 11th day of August, 1930.

CURTIS GREENE.

